Park Avenue Elementary School Principal Sharon Konecny said it is open to any child within the Stuttgart School District who will be five-years-old on or before Aug. 1.

An open house will be held from 3:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 7, or from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, March 8. To register a child, parents will need photo identification to pass through the school’s new safety measure.

Parents will also need to bring the child’s birth certificate, immunization records, proof of residency, physical and Social Security card. Konecny said parents should also bring the child they are registering “because we do a school screening.

“It’s an academic screening to let us as well as the parents know if they are academically ready to begin school,” she said, adding they will be changing up their process this year.

After the screening, Konecny said they would hold a brief conference with each child’s parents to let them know if the child is below, at or above the expectations to enter Kindergarten.

Parents will also receive handouts explaining what to expect and how they can help prepare their child from March to August to attend school.

Children, who are identified by the screening as needing more help, may also qualify to attend the “Ready, Set, Go” summer program at Park Avenue.

The four-week program is held the last two weeks of June and the second and third week of July. The program’s students are given a break during the week of July 4.

“We had a huge enrollment last year which had us adding an eighth (classroom),” she said.

Typically, the school’s Kindergarten enrollment has 110-130 students registered. Parents attending next week’s registration dates will be able to visit with administration, staff and the Kindergarten teachers. No PreKindergartners will be registered on these dates.

Konecny said parents of children who live outside of the district should contact the district’s administration office to learn how their child can attend Park Avenue. “If in doubt, contact (Donna) Mahfouz for more information,” she said. Mahfouz can be reached at (870) 674-1305.